Irish Rich

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Irish Rich

Irish Rich is the owner of Shamrock Fabrication, a "no frills" custom motorcycle and fabrication shop. Rich has been involved with custom motorcycles and hot rods for over 40 years, and is a member of the Sinners, out of Southern California. Rich and his motorcycles have appeared in Street Chopper, DicE Magazine, The Horse, Easyriders, and the Jesse James documentary "The History Of The Chopper". He also currently writes, and has written tech articles and feature stories for many of the custom motorcycle publications, and writes an ongoing column for Greasy Kulture Magazine.

Applied Machete

Shamrock Fabrication

His ChopCult profile: Link

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Got a couple articles published.....

By Irish Rich
March 11, 2010
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It's been awhile since I've had a chance to do any articles besides my column in Greasy Kulture. So, when Hammer gave me the OK last December to cover the Mooneyes Christmas Party at Irwindale speedway, and the David Mann Chopperfest in Ventura for The Horse, I was really looking forward to doing the articles.

Both events are in issue #97, April '10, and it should be hitting the newstands right about now. I think the photos they chose (shot for me by "Dame Digital" Kristina Pamias) were adequate, the articles are good, and we had a good time covering the events, and I saw a bunch of people I knew - some I haven't seen for years.

The magazine also has a good article by Nelson Kanno on their "last Saturday of every month" ride-in lunch gathering at Santa Fe Importers in The LBC, ChopperDave did a spread on this year's GNRS, and Dan Roedel does a good tech on the Baker N-1 shifter drum installation. Also, there's a killer feature on the bike Fab Kevin and "Poolboy" built - that's it on the cover.

And, my feature on the rigid shovel I built for Chris Worrell publishes in the next issue of IronWorks, and I have a tech article on the Led Sled Sporty hardtail install I just finished on Dan's bike coming up in IW in the near future, as well as my usual column in GKM, which should be going to print next week.

I have a ton of photos from both David Mann and The Mooneyes Christmas Party that The Horse didn't run, and I'll post up some of them for you from time to time. Kristina photographed some just georgous bikes at David Mann, and you can see how deep the water was at Mooneyes, from the monsoon that hit SoCal that weekend.

Now you see why I haven't been on here updating my blog?

Hi honey, I'm hooooome....

By Irish Rich
March 11, 2010
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Yeah, I suck, it's been awhile since I've posted up on here. Work rolls in here at least weekly, and I've been busier than a one-legged man in an asskicking contest. '09 was a busy year for me, and '10 has been great so far, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Anyways, I'll try and get all you followers something to look at that's new up here on a more timely basis.

Remember when I asked Jaluv next time he went by Dick Allen's old Normandie shop to snap some photos of what it looked like today? If you'll search back some in the posts, you'll see some "then & now's" courtesy of Jahluv. Lookie what he sent me about a week ago.

Jahluv works in the City of Montery Park, CA , and he was going by the old site of Buchanans there in that city, before they moved up to Azusa. Monterey Park is framed by the 10, the 710, and the 60 in L.A.

This is the building where they used to make spokes, build wheels, straighten, repair, and rake frames, and extend glide and springer front ends. A lot of work going on inside this small building at one time, huh? Too bad they sold all the frame tables and the springer jigs when they made the move up to Azusa.

Jahluv, thanks for thinking of me, and sending these photos that I could share with everyone. I'll see you at the Born Free show!

I know I have some shots of the exterior of Buchanans as it looked in the late '60's someplace around this firetrap, but I can't find them! When I do, I'll post them up. In the meantime, here's a scan of the '71 catalog I have, and the inside page, showing the shop's interior.

If you'd like, take a look at Jahluv's blog, for a unique perspective:
http://community.afropunk.com/profiles/blog/list?user=194lwap3ugt9
And, here's the link to Buchanans, still the best spokes and wheels in the business:
http://www.buchananspokes.net/

Congratualtions to Team Canada Hockey

By Irish Rich
February 28, 2010
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Congratulations to Team Canada Hockey on their Gold medal finish against Team USA. And thak you Canadian fans for the roaring cheers and applause when Ryan Miller recieved his Silver. That was a great sporting gesture.

Team Canada can't say that Team USA didn't take them the distance, and didn't go down without a fight. It was a great game, and a fitting end to the Winter Olympics.

And, to Team USA Hockey, you fought the good fight in that game, and congratulations on your Silver Medal.

Carpe diem quam minime credula postero.........

By Irish Rich
February 27, 2010
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OH yeaaaaah......it's on!
With Canada beating the dog poop out of Russia (thank you!), and USA knocking the bejeezus out of Finland in the 1st period, each team sent the message to the other.

This is going to be the best of the best Sunday, may the best team win.

GO TEAM USA!

Also, congratulations to Team Canada Ladies Hockey for their gold medal win, and a special thanks to Team USA Ladies Hockey for their silver finish.

Wadda game!

By Irish Rich
February 21, 2010
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This was everything a hockey game should be - two worthy opponents, fast paced, hard hitting, and physical.

To Team USA...

THANK YOU!

It's gutcheck time.......

By Irish Rich
February 20, 2010
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Yeah, it's gutcheck time - Team USA vs. Team Canada on Sunday..........

We're pulling for you, now go show the World.........

Magazine cover tri-fecta

By Irish Rich
February 20, 2010
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When people talk about bikes and builders from the late '60's-early '70's, one person who is totally overlooked is Gary Hetrick. At that time, a machinist by trade, Gary was bitten by the chopper bug, and decided to build himself a bike, but not just any bike.......

Gary Hetrick's riding cover shot for the March '73 issue of Street Chopper. The bike appears to be black in this shot, but in reality it was various candy purple shades, faded over a white pearl base.

Just take some time to soak in all the detail and trick components Hetrick incorporated in his build. His fabrication skills and machine work from 30-odd years ago would put a lot of builders with their CNC machines and modern equipment to shame today.

Hetrick started with a '69 ex-LAPD cop bike. Gary took the frame, and extended it out 4", then he added another 1 3/8" of rake to the neck. He built his own hardtail section 2" shorter than an original rigid frame.

From there, Hetrick made his own 21" over springer front end out of 4130 cromo tubing. Then, he fabricated the gas tank, oil tank, and just about every other part on the motorcycle you can see, in his spare time at his machine shop. Gary then made all his own oil and fuel lines out of Earl's AN supplies, and used aircraft grade stainless allen head and nylock fasteners, along with safety wiring every critical fastener, to secure every component on his bike.

This bike was light years ahead of what everybody else was doing at the time, and would still be a knockout even today.

One of my favorite pieces on Hetrick's bike, the machined inner and outer primaries. Gary started with a 56 lb. block of aluminum, and 25 lbs more for the compensator and clutch domes. When he was finished, the primary weighed in at a svelte 28 lbs. All this machine work was done on a manual rotating milling machine, and consumed 158 hours. NO CNC! Wow

The finished primaries, just beautiful. Good shot of the machined forwards on the shift side. Also note the tinted inspection window with the H-D pin in the center.

I saw on another message board that somebody was touting how they had incorporated both their front caliper and their master cylinder into the same bracket. Sorry, Hetrick beat you by 37 years! Gary ran his front brake cable inside his rt. rear springer leg, and connected it to a H/A "pull" master cylinder. Nice polished American 12 spoke wheel, too.

All you guys with your gas tank site tubes.....again, 1973, nothing is new. Check out the lettering at the base of the tube - START WALKIN'.

OK, now this has to be the coolest cover photo ever for a chopper magazine! Here's Gary's bike and feature article for the June '77 issue of Supercycle. Still rolling 4 years later, with a few new components.

Like all of us, Gary couldn't resist changing things around some. His bike now sported Cragar Super Trick wheels front and back (adapted by Hetrick), new disc brakes, paint, gold leaf, and Gary decided to build himself a new 22 over girder front end.

The front brake was still cable operated, but this time Gary ran the cable to a master cylinder hidden behind the headlight, with the hydraulic line run internally in the rear leg of the girder to the caliper.

Gary also punched the engine up a little, giving the tired cop bike engine a .060 overbore, 9:1Venolia pistons, 468S Sifton cam, lifters, and pushrods, and had Jerry Branch fit the heads with big valves and a port and flow job just for good measure.

Color shot from Hetrick's Supercycle spread. Here you can see the gold anodized Cragar Super Tricks, and the new paint and leafing. The paint appears brown in the color plates, but was actually a candy plum toner over a gold base.

Gary's new bike on the cover of the Feb. '06 issue of Street Chopper. Full circle 30 years later......

Gary dabbled in parts and machining for other people's choppers for awhile, then picked up sign painting, lettering, and pinstriping, which made him a good living for the next 30 years. Choppers had made a big comeback, and Gary had the desire to build another bike, but never seemed to have the motivation.

Well, after his wife had a bout with breast cancer, and was recovering, Gary himself was struck with prostate cancer, which he also beat. Hetrick felt that beating his cancer was the perfect motivation to build another chopper, and also the perfect "therapy' that he needed in his life.

As with his first bike, Gary made every single part for this project, save for the modern big-inch Evo, and the Baker RHD 6 speed. Gary built himself a frame jig, bent all the frame tubing, made the gas and oil tank, wheels, controls, primary, 22 over girder front end (with hidden front brake line), and everything else you can think of. When he built the frame, Hetrick decided that he wanted the perfect tire-to-fender clearance, so he made the rear axle stationary, and used an idler gear to adjust the rear drivechain. Little touches like this are all over the bike, and like his first project, you can spend hours discovering them.

GO TEAM USA !

By Irish Rich
February 13, 2010
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Followup on the Arlen Ness van.......

By Irish Rich
February 13, 2010
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At the end of my post on Arlen Ness' "Harley Hauler" van (see two posts down), I wondered if Arlen still owned the van (Ness has a propensity to keep all his personal custom vehicles), and also wondered where it was today.

Well, I got an Email from "Al", and he added a little more info, and sent the following pictures for me. Thank you Al, it was most appreciated!

" Rich,
Long time reader of your blog. Also been hung up on Ness Ford van for years. Here is what I have been able to find out(true or not, who the fuck knows....). Van left alone till sometime in the late 80's or early 90's, thats when it was re-shoed,had some more body mods done(re-radiused the wheel wells and new mirrors) and painted red. Not long after it was sold to a Ness employee who still owns it. Enjoy the pics. Al "

As Al mentioned, you can clearly see the new wheels/tires, the re-done flares, and the ground effect panel that occupies the side pipe's old location.

I also notice too, that it's also re-lettered Arlen Ness Las Vegas. From the background in the picture, it sure looks like it's parked in front of Arlen's Vegas store, on the Boulder Hwy., right across from the Bouder Station casino. I know a gal who used to work there, maybe I'll ask her if she has any info.